A Time to Break Down
by braillebaby
Summary: This is the second installment of the Horatio and Jo series. Horatio finds himself landing in the northern state with an impending blizzard on his heels. While the St. Paul Crime Lab has requested his expertise, Horatio also has another reason for leaving the sunny shores of Miami. The cold temps may be just the thing to rekindle his romance with Jo Allen.
1. Chapter 1

**H: A Time To Gather Stones Together**

**Chapter 1**

Kyle walked up to the group of soldiers bound for Minnesota. His eyes scanned the crowd of camo uniforms looking for the tall, blond lieutenant. When Kyle had reported to his commanding officer earlier this morning regarding his leave, the man had handed him some papers and gruffly told him things had changed and he was to report to the Lieutenant Allen. Now as he squinted against the late afternoon sunlight, he wondered if the Lieutenant had changed his mind. Just then a familiar voice boomed from his left as several soldiers accompanying the lieutenant marched up to join the line of soldiers loading duffel bags into the belly of the plane.

"Glad you could join us Harmon! Stow your things and I'll fill you in once we get on our way!" The Lieutenant jogged off and Kyle slipped into line with the other soldiers, wondering if he dared hope that this change in his itinerary included a detour to a much colder climate than Miami.

**(Saturday afternoon)**

"Here are your keys, sir. Can I help you with anything else?" The friendly woman with the Agency logo pinned to her blouse looked at the handsome red-haired man. His tan suggested he had arrived in Minnesota from a much warmer climate.  
"Yes, Ma'am. I've been … advised that I should get some gloves and hat and a warmer coat. Is there a department store nearby?" The woman didn't miss the warmth suddenly appearing in those oh-so-blue-eyes.  
"Ma'am?" Horatio questioned, one eyebrow quirking up as he frowned at her momentary silence.  
"Oh, sir, I'm sorry!" The young woman blushed and pulled a sheet of paper from a pad beneath the counter. "Of course. Where are you staying?"

"The Crown Plaza in Saint Paul." The young woman shook her head murmuring something about nothing available in **that** city. Judging by the well-tailored and expensive suit he wore, this man had money to spend.

"Ok then. You'll want to head over to MOA. It is the opposite direction, but it's just a short 5 minute drive and you can park in the ramp so you won't have to scrape snow or brush it off the vehicle. All our vehicles do come equipped with a snowbrush and scraper by the way." She pulled the cap off a yellow highlighter. "Now, you'll want to take a left here onto Killebrew drive and follow that around to this frontage road. The Mall is to your right and there are signs to guide you into the grounds from the street. I would suggest parking in the North Ramp sir, you'll find Nordstroms as you enter from the Skyway on Level 3. Now," she beamed, handing Horatio the map with the yellow zigzagging line, "is there **anything** else I might be able to help you with?"

**(Sometime later that Saturday afternoon)**

"Hey boys, I'm loading the dogs up in 5 minutes!" A chorus of 'Ok Aunt Jo' drifted into the garage through the screen door leading into the backyard. Inside the house she was met by two excited canines, the dark shepherd, Jezebel and her foster pup, the black and white shepherd pitbull mix Roxie.  
"Ok, ok, let me get my mittens and hat and your leashes, girls. We're taking the boys so no dog park for you today. We're going for a walk." Fifteen minutes later, Jo was turning the minivan into the snow-covered parking lot of the county park just off the main road. As the door slid open and boys and dogs spilled out amidst shouts of "snowball fight" and excited yelps from Roxie, Jo frowned in dismay at the icy bits that were stinging her face. The roads were wet from the rain and sleet mix that had been falling fitfully throughout the afternoon and promised to get slick as the temperature dropped as the evening wore on. Deftly she caught up Jezebel's leash and made a grab for Roxie. The pup was going "puppy psycho" in the newly fallen white stuff and raced around the twins in circles, yipping crazily. By the time Kieran caught the trailing leash, Jo's fingers were already becoming cold in her mittens.

As the group trudged along the snow-covered path, Jo found her thoughts going to a certain red-haired Miami lieutenant. Though she had not actually spoken to Horatio, they had been corresponding by email once she had realized he was indeed coming north for business and to speak at the twins' Career Day at school. It had been Jo's suggestion that he come over for dinner Saturday. Memories of their Saturday's together in Miami had rushed over her and she had backspaced quickly to re-word the invitation to keep from sounding too desperate to see him. She had been unable to get a clue as to his feelings about her, their relationship from his emails. When she had had her weekly conversation with Aunt Florence, the elderly woman seemed to feel the Miami lieutenant would be only too happy to pick up their relationship from where they had left off months ago. While she wouldn't reveal her source, Jo felt that Horatio must be staying in touch with the elderly matchmaker/dog fosterer turned undercover operative. Jo felt her cheeks grow warm just thinking about Horatio.  
"I wonder if he'll kiss me hello?" she said, jumping when Liam appeared at the side.  
"Who are you talking to Aunt Jo?" Before she could find a plausible excuse, a scream split the snowy silence of the woods.

"Kieran!" Jo set off at a run down the steep grade and around the turn, fearing the worst as she did so. Rice Creek meandered it's way through the park, beckoning two-legged and four-legged creatures alike to test walking out on it's often thin ice. But it was not Kieran's out on the cracking ice, Jo saw with a short-lived relief. It was Roxie and the inquisitive pup had no idea the danger she was in.  
"I'm sorry Auntie," Kieran was near tears. "Roxie was smelling some deer tracks and she pulled me so hard down the hill I let go of her leash… and she went out on the ice."  
"I understand Kieran. I'm glad you remembered that ice isn't safe and didn't follow her out there. I'll see if I can coax her back to shore. Would you take Jez and go wait with Kieran over by the trees at the bottom of the hill? Thank you."

Inching her way to the end of the shore on the ice covered snow, Jo called for the pup. "Come on Roxie, here girl!" Jo whistled as the pup stopped, her ears twitching at the sound of Jo's voice. "That's a girl, Roxie!" Jo called encouragingly. "Come here girl and we'll go find a cookie bone!" The pup cocked her head to one side as if considering the offer. Jo swallowed the panic that was beginning to course through her. She had to coax Roxie back to the relative safety of the river's edge. News stories of people losing their lives while trying to save pets stranded out on ice in rivers or lakes swirled through her brain. And Liam and Kieran were with her as well.

"Come on Roxie, come on girl!" Jo tested the edge of the ice and decided it would take her weight. The black and white dog watched her warily, posed to run if her foster mistress got too close in this game of doggie tag. Just as she was about to take another step, she felt her phone buzz where she'd stashed it inside her jacket for safe keeping. Keeping an eye on Roxie, she called for Liam.

"Go slowly Liam, so Roxie doesn't bolt. Ok, here are the van keys and my phone," she fished them awkwardly out of her pocket, holding one mitten in her mouth. A glance before she handed it over revealed the call was from Horatio. "Liam, you and Kieran and Jez go back up the hill and wait by the van while I get Roxie. If I don't come up in fifteen minutes, get in the van and call for help and stay together!" He took the items from her, his eyes darting worriedly to the dog out on the river.  
"Will Roxie be ok?"

"I think so, Liam. If she sees you and Jez and Kieran leave, I'm hoping she'll follow and I'll grab her leash ok? Now go, slowly so you don't spook her." Jo watched the trio until they were out of sight and then gave her full attention to the black and white dog who had tip-toed just out of Jo's reach. Stretching out an arm and calling soothingly to the pet, Jo heard the ice crack and too late felt her hiking boot suddenly sinking halfway up in the icy water.

Horatio pulled the SUV into the small parking lot of the strip mall. The blowing snow and darkening sky were making visibility difficult and he was in unfamiliar territory on an unfamiliar, snow and ice covered road. Five minutes had gone by and Jo had not returned his call. He frowned as he reviewed the downloaded map and driving directions. His phone buzzed then and he snatched it up.

"Josie!"

"No Mr. Horatio. It's Kieran. I … think we need your help." Horatio was putting the SUV in gear even as he asked with a calm he was far from feeling just how did they need his help.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**H: A Time To Gather Stones Together**

**Chapter 2**

"Stay on the phone with me Kieran." Horatio feared the worried youngster might hang up on him without giving him their location. "I'm at …" he squinted out the window through the blowing snow, "Central Avenue. There's a shop on the corner… Dave's Sport Shak?" There were voices just out of reach of the earpiece of the phone and Horatio had just made up his mind to make a right when Kieran's voice sounded in his ear again.  
"Mr. Horatio, we think we know where you are. Go … left and drive up to the second stoplight. Theres …" Liam's voice could be heard in the background as Horatio swung the car in a wide turn, narrowly missing a minivan and tow-truck out on the first of many runs. Kieran's voice was back in his ear now, "… railroad tracks to go over then the next stoplight is the one you turn left at."  
"Ok, son." Horatio drove as fast as he dared, while encouraging Jo's young nephew to remember any other landmarks on the way to the park. The difficult driving conditions and following Kieran's directions helped Horatio keep his mind from churning up images of Jo being pulled beneath the icy waters of the river.

"Come to me Roxie! That's a girl!" The black and white shepherd pit bull mixed breed took a few more experimental steps closer to her foster mistress, carefully sniffing the ice as she did so. Jo concentrated on the trailing leash, stretching out across the ice as far as possible. One foot was almost numb from the freezing water that was seeping inside her boot. If she didn't get the puppy soon, Jo thought grimly, she would have to hope Kieran and Liam called 911 because she wasn't going to be capable of climbing that hill back up to parking lot alone, with or without Roxie. "Come Roxie!" Jo tried the command the trainer had suggested when they had gone to the free puppy training clinic at the local pet retailer. Roxie stopped sniffing the ice and looked at Jo, then put her head up and sniffed the air. The dog looked comical, with one black ear flopped over on the white fur that circled one side of her face. If Jo hadn't been so cold she would have laughed out loud.

"I see you Mr. Horatio!" Kieran's voice suddenly shouted in his ear. "That's me and Liam jumping up and down waving at you! We're under the tall light!" With an inward sigh of relief Horatio pulled the SUV in beneath the streetlight emitting an eerie orange/gold glow into the surrounding parking lot. Reaching over, Horatio pushed open the passenger door, ordering the boys to get inside. The boys both began to explain at once as Horatio awkwardly slid off his leather shoes and slipped his feet into the new Sorell boots he'd bought. Holding up his hand, he got the boys attention.  
"Where is your aunt now?" he asked, his other hand on the door handle.  
"In the river at the bottom of the hill," Kieran answered, his lips quivering from cold and fright. Both boys were shaking inside the warm vehicle and Horatio quickly made a decision he was quite certain would be unpopular with the Park Service.

Looking from Liam to Kieran, he asked, "Is there a paved path?" Two heads nodded solemnly and both boys quickly hopped into the rear seats, buckling themselves in as Horatio put the vehicle in Drive and bumped the vehicle over the snow covered curb.

While Roxie's attention was caught by something she was hearing in the woods or up the river, Jo eyed the red leash, a mere 3 feet away from her outstretched hand. Mentally crossing her fingers that the puppy would continue to ignore her, Jo crouched down and began to carefully stretch out on the ice, wriggling to the left where the ice seemed thicker. Inching forward, Jo was within reach of the leash when she had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. The CRACK of the ice echoed off the bare trees and Jo felt her shins come in contact with the black water. Fighting down the panic, Jo took a deep breath and made a grab for the leash just as headlights suddenly lit up the ice like a stage. It was enough to send the canine skittering several feet to the left. With a groan, Jo carefully tried to drag herself more to the left.  
"JOSIE!"  
'Was that Horatio calling?' Jo wondered, shaking her head. 'I must be closer to hypothermia than I thought.'

After directing the boys to stay inside, Horatio practically leaped from the vehicle.  
"Josie, it's Horatio! Can you hear me?" He was carefully making his way down the bank to the shore. Roxie had begun to bark excitedly, perhaps recognizing the red-haired man who had such crunchy sunglasses. She side-stepped her way another five feet down the river until she was practically at the bank.  
"Here Roxie!" Kieran's young voice rang out in the darkness and Jo heard the excited hello bark of the puppy before a car door slammed.  
'I've got to get off this ice,' Jo thought grimly. "I'm hallucinating." She carefully began to wiggle backwards, feeling for footing on the slippery rocks beneath the moving water.

Horatio splashed into the water, the tall winter boots he'd put on doing their job and keeping his feet dry. "Josie! Josie!" He reached into the water and managed to grasp her waist as soon as she was close enough. Dragging her to the bank, it was several long minutes before he was able to struggle up the short incline. Once she was on solid ground, Jo began to shiver from her unplanned dip into the river. She looked up at her rescuer, his blue eyes bright in the lights from the SUV.

"Horatio? How did you get down here? I thought I heard a car door?" Several strands of red hair had fallen across his forehead, and unthinkingly, Jo reached up a mittened hand to move it away.

"Oh Josie!" Horatio could see that her lips were turning blue and she was shivering. "I need to take you to a hospital Sweetheart. Can you put your arms around my neck?" Josie shook her head, and opened her mouth. No sound came out and she looked confused. Horatio had to lean his head closer to hear her when she tried again.  
"No hospital. No…" she shook her head, leaning against him and closing her eyes. "Not supposed to drive down here."

Horatio looked at her and decided now was not the time to argue. "I agree, Sweetheart, so lets get our of here before we get caught, hmmm?" He lifted her up with difficulty. She was a dead weight and he could feel the wetness from her water-logged jeans soaking through the fabric of his slacks.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"This is getting to be a habit, Horatio." Jo tried for a light tone despite the chattering of her teeth. "I guess I'd better not take a vacation along the North Shore any time soon. Who knows what Roxie would find to chase into the lake up there." She finished with a violent sneeze. Accepting the tissue, Horatio offered her, Jo added defensively, "It's probably just a minor case of frostbite at most." The look Horatio was giving her in the overhead light of the SUV told her he didn't believe her. "I've lived here all my life. If it was serious, I would tell you. Now," she began to shake visibly beneath his jacket he'd wrapped around her, "if you could drop me off by my minivan, the boys can help me brush the snow off and we can all head back home?" Another violent sneeze shook her body. Horatio's eyes narrowed as she daintily dabbed at her nose with the tissue. "I think the snow is starting to come down harder and I need to get out of these wet clothes," she added helpfully, her blue eyes innocent.  
"I don't know which I want to do more," he answered her softly, not sure she would hear him over the blast of the SUV's heating system. "Get you out of those wet things or lecture you about using a little common sense, particularly when you have your nephews with you." Jo was taken by surprise by the intensity of his blue gaze and she felt her cheeks grow warm, despite her frozen toes.  
"I didn't put the boys in danger, Horatio!" Jo bristled, her voice little more than a defensive hiss. He had to lean his bright head closer to hear her. "I made sure they had my keys and my phone to call for help. AND, despite what you may think," Jo tried to sit up a little straighter, "I wouldn't have gone any further onto that ice to get Roxie." Under her breath, she said a little prayer that the pup would forgive her for even voicing such a thing. Horatio's nearness was making it a bit difficult to concentrate, Jo thought irritably determinedly, shifting her gaze from those blue eyes to stare out at the swirling snow.  
"To be continued, Josie." The low rumble of Horatio's voice sent tingles down to her toes, which had nothing to do with the frostbite. In answer, she leaned forward, turning the heat to blast on the window.  
"It's more important for you to see where you're going right now, Horatio," she chattered, refusing to look into those blue eyes. It wasn't until she felt the blast of cold air and heard the door slam shut that she took a deep breath and leaned back against the seat.

**(Several hours later at Jo's house)**

"Jasper, really, I'm fine." Jo's voice sounded normal, but her brother thought he could detect the chattering of her teeth through his phone. "I think you'd better have a talk with that dog of yours while you're home though. She's lived in South Florida too long and hasn't a clue about winter safety! I'm waiting for her to get her tongue stuck to one of the metal fence poles." Jo managed what sounded like a laugh while attempting to pull on her fleece socks with one hand as she sat on the side of her bed.  
"I don't like this Josie. You don't sound fine. You should have gone to the hospital and got checked out." Jo gave in to the desire to prop the her phone between her ear and shoulder while she quickly pulled the stubborn socks over her still-frozen feeling feet.  
"Horatio said the same thing, Jasper, but it really isn't necessary. It wasn't any worse than the time I went through the ice when you and I were playing broomball on Mr. Olson's pond and I got a little too close to the thin ice trying to keep you from making that shot on my goal. My toes aren't even tingling anymore, so I don't think there's any lingering frostbite." She tried to smile and sound positive, not mentioning the fact that even ten minutes under a steaming shower hadn't completely eliminated the chattering of her teeth. "I've got to go, Jas. I … I heard Roxie barking so the boys pizza must be here. Call me when you get in to Duluth when you can. I love you." Jo had no sooner set the phone on the night table, when she heard a familiar rap on her bedroom door.  
"Pizza's here Auntie Jo!" Liam's footsteps were already fading when she reached the hall.

_**"... or that unfortunate incident regarding the cherry bomb down the toilet?"**_

Horatio paused as he passed by the door to the boys' bedroom. Peals of laughter drifted out, Kieran and Liam's giggles mingling with those of their aunt. Peaking through the half-open doorway, he was struck by the cozy scene in the small bedroom. Each of the twins were wrapped in a brightly colored fleece blanket, near where Jo sat in a bean bag made to look like a giant baseball. Roxie lay sprawled between the boys, two small hands patting her back and head occasionally. The dark shepherd lay at her mistress's feet, head resting on her paws. As Horatio watched, Jo's hand dropped down to stroke the black ears reflexively as she continued with the adventures of the little dragon with the big imagination who couldn't breathe fire.  
"Hey Mr. Horatio!" Kieran waved at him. "Auntie Jo is reading a couple chapters of _Danny Dragonbreath and the Frog Ninja's_. Come and listen! It's really funny."  
"Thank you for the invite, Kieran, but I'll take a rain check tonight. You can get me up to speed tomorrow?" His answer was an enthusiastic nod and a wide grin. Pausing for breath as she turned the page, Jo glanced at the handsome man in the doorway.  
"Are you sure, Lieutenant? We've got one more bean bag chair." Before he could answer, he felt the vibrating buzz of his phone.  
"Excuse me," he murmured, stepping out of the doorway and moving down the hall.

_"Dad, can we read some more of __**Call of the Wild**__ tonight?" The man stretched out on the sofa, his lanky frame spilling over the arm, turned his attention to the red-haired boy standing in the doorway, holding a dog-eared paperback of the Jack London novel. A tired smile creased his face.  
__"Your mother gave me quite the tongue-lashing when she found out we were reading that particular story son," he said quietly, regarding his 8-year-old-son with one raised eyebrow.  
__"Mom's at work tonight, Dad." A grin split the youngster's face, his blue eyes bright. "I won't tell if you won't." A matching grin appeared on the tired face of Horatio's father as he raised himself up into a sitting position.  
__"Very well son. One chapter and you keep that out of sight of your mother. I suppose I'd better check on your brother first."  
__"No need Dad," Horatio said earnestly, almost sprinting across the living room to sit beside his father. "I made sure he was asleep before I left our room. We were on Chapter 3, here," he added helpfully, opening the book and looking up expectantly at his father. As his father began to read once more about the adventures of the St. Bernard/Scotch Shepherd dog named Buck, Horatio relaxed and let the deep voice of his father wash over him like a blanket. Idly, he noticed the grease that always seemed to be around the edges of his father's nails. It matched the black substance that was on his father's work boots, standing in their usual place by the back door.__  
_

"Dad! Are you okay? Lieutenant Allen told me you rescued his sister."  
"Yes, I'm ... fine, Kyle." Horatio paused a moment, surprised by the sudden rush of emotion that raced through him. "How ... how are you son?" Leaning against the counter in the darkened kitchen, Horatio closed his eyes briefly, his son's face dancing in front of him.  
"Fine Dad! I'm with Lieutenant Allen and we should be meeting up with you and Jo and his nephews in a couple days." Kyle paused before adding uncertainly, "I hope that's ok with you." Horatio found himself nodding before realizing Kyle couldn't see him.  
"Of course, son. I'm looking forward to it. You'll ... let me know when you get in?" Five minutes after the call was finished, Horatio hadn't moved, memories swirling around him much like the blowing snowflakes outside the kitchen window.

TBC


End file.
